Yeast-Die Off

I started Liberty on the antifungal/antiviral regimen the day after Christmas. Thank God, I did. For the first day he was okay, then the screaming began. Charcoal tablets really do help. So does Motrin which I am not thrilled about giving him (dye-free, of course), but he also was cutting a tooth. A double whammy. He has been up quite a bit screaming, but then it really got better yesterday. Then, today, the worst screaming episode in his entire life, complete with throwing things, kicking and grabbing himself.

Ask me how old I look today. Old and tired.

Diflucan is what we are giving him first for two weeks. Then he gets liver function tests and if they are okay, we start the Valtrex, the anti-viral. I have not enquired as to the expense of the Valtrex. The Diflucan is $86 per bottle and I found out the bottle is only "stable" for 2 weeks. So, the compounding pharmacist here was so sweet, he took pity on me and invented a way to give me some powder to mix to get me through the month to make a second bottle. So, now it is only $80 per month instead of $172. This is a real sock to the gut right after Christmas. Not to mention my husband's truck acting up and in the shop. At the pharmacy, I actually cried out after I thanked the pharmacist profusely, "My God, I have 20 bucks left!" I was quite pitiful.

I wrote about this method called "carpet bombing" and referenced J.B. Handley's piece over at the Age of Autism: http://www.ageofautism.com/2007/11/is-autism-an-in.html#more.

This too shall pass, I keep saying to myself.

Today, Liberty had the worst screaming fits ever. He ate around six Ritz crackers that I had sitting on the counter in the kitchen. He never cared for these ever, but apparently, today, he wanted to sample them. About 20 minutes later, the screaming began. I really did not know what to make of it at first. Without going into too much gruesome detail, he was terribly constipated. I gave him a suppository and then had a phone call. Big mistake, people. That's all I'm saying. I just took a break from cleaning all of the rooms in the house and stacking the bedspreads and pillows, etc. in the washing machine that he touched with poopy hands to write this post.

Well, I started this blog to chronicle our biomed journey. I wish I could wax poetic, could write some "great" posts like so many of you folks who kindly read my blog. But, the sole purpose of this blog is really to keep as a diary and share our experience.

So, anybody else encountered yeast die-off with their antifungal? I am sure most people have, as it initially increases yeast in your gut before it leaves. But, I wonder to what varying degrees the symptoms of die-off are? Liberty went through something like this initially with the gf/cf diet and we thought it was yeast die-off. This is month eight on the diet (sans the Ritz crackers).
I am happy to report (and it is the only reason why I am not up on the ledge again) that I am seeing some incredible things with Lib. The eye contact is not just a little, he is fully present and initiating contact. He is pretend playing with his Little People and his cars and trucks and giraffe and things he did not care about that much before. He made me sit on the couch yesterday and got right up in my face and smiled, and touched my face and hair and smiled back at me when I smiled at him. He is trying very hard to talk. Very hard. It's painful because you're just rooting for him in your mind all of the time (come on, baby; come on baby...).

I hope and pray I'm doing the right thing. I have a feeling in my gut (bad pun) that I am. Time will tell, I guess. I have read a lot about yeast, how it can be not only in your gut, but in your nasal passages and in your brain. Reading about it is not quite the same as experiencing it and seeing symptoms that others have reported parade themselves right before your very eyes.

Ah well. Off to pour my glass of wine.